Despite rain causing the abandonment of three Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, declining fan interest after the national team’s early elimination, high expenses on stadium upgrades, a hybrid hosting model, and strict security, Pakistani experts maintain that the event was successful and could lead to hosting more international tournaments. Pakistan adopted a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy after India declined to send its team due to security concerns, playing all their matches in Dubai instead.
While Pakistani fans were unable to witness the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash on home soil, they faced further disappointment with Pakistan’s early exit after losses to New Zealand and India.
However, Pakistan received praise for its security measures, as the event proceeded without any security incidents.
Cricket analyst Omair Alavi stated, “Considering the context of Pakistan cricket, and even with another terror incident in Bannu just before the semifinal in Lahore, we should be satisfied that we successfully hosted a major event without any disruptions.”
Pakistan deployed approximately 16,000 police and paramilitary personnel to ensure the safety of visiting teams in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. Although Australia’s Steve Smith, South Africa’s Temba Bavuma, and New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner noted feeling more relaxed in Dubai compared to the heavy security in Pakistan, the ICC’s safety and security manager, Dave Musker, deemed the event a “success”.
Musker commented in Lahore, “The security personnel demonstrated excellent coordination and professionalism, making the event successful.”
Security analyst Sohail Khan emphasized that with intense scrutiny on the country’s security arrangements, there was no margin for error.
Khan, who has extensive experience in security matters and was involved in clearing Pakistan’s 2005 tour to India, added, “Pakistan performed admirably in hosting the event without any incidents. All eyes were on our security personnel, and they delivered.”
The 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore had previously isolated Pakistan cricket for nearly nine years.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Imran Jamil, who oversaw security for the Champions Trophy in Karachi, mentioned that they aimed to accommodate team and player requests while providing a more relaxed atmosphere.
He clarified, “However, we had our responsibilities and had to prioritize security.”
Despite the team’s poor performance, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sees several positives in terms of security and hosting.
An anonymous PCB official commented, “Our team’s poor performance and the resulting decline in interest in later matches was unfortunate. But overall, things proceeded smoothly.”
He further claimed, “Our primary goal was to deliver a world-class event, not to maximize profits, and we achieved that.”
However, the PCB’s finances are expected to be negatively impacted by the abandonment of three matches, including two washouts in Rawalpindi.
While the PCB is guaranteed a USD 600,000 hosting fee, along with a share of ticket revenue, hospitality box sales, and some ground sponsorships, the washouts will necessitate ticket refunds, affecting their earnings.
Alavi believes it’s unlikely the PCB will recoup the billions of rupees spent on stadium upgrades through hosting fees and revenue shares.
He noted, “Pakistan’s share of ICC revenues is guaranteed regardless of hosting the event.” The PCB’s annual ICC revenue share is approximately USD 32 million under the current financial model.
Some former players question the necessity of the 1.8 billion Pak rupees expenditure on stadium renovations, given the team’s underperformance.
Former Test pacer Sikander Bakht remarked, “More attention was given to stadiums than to the cricket itself.”
He suggested, “Our stadiums were adequate and only needed cosmetic upgrades. The same funds could have been used to build a new stadium in Islamabad or improve smaller venues in cities like Faisalabad, Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Sialkot.”
Former Test player Iqbal Qasim suggested that Pakistan’s significant investment in upgrades may have been intended to showcase its cricket infrastructure to the world.
He commented, “Perhaps we aimed to demonstrate Pakistan’s world-class hosting facilities, but the arrangements for managing bad weather at the Gaddafi Stadium during the Australia-Afghanistan match were not ideal.”
The match was abandoned due to rain after Afghanistan scored 273 runs in 50 overs in their first innings. Australia managed to bat for only 12.5 overs, scoring 109/1.
Arif Ali Khan Abbasi, a former influential figure in Pakistan cricket, believes the Champions Trophy will benefit the PCB by securing more international hosting opportunities, but the financial gains remain uncertain while India remains unwilling to play in Pakistan.
Abbasi stated, “Until we can convince India to play in Pakistan, even for ICC or Asian events, and resolve the hybrid scheduling issue, we won’t achieve financial gains needed to improve our domestic infrastructure.”
